


Summer Snow

by Jbee



Series: Gates of Askr: Year One [30]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25410118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jbee/pseuds/Jbee
Summary: Kiran and the other heroes attend the closing ceremonies for The Order of Heroes summer expedition and except an award from Nifl!
Relationships: Alfonse/Summoner | Eclat | Kiran, Kinda - Relationship
Series: Gates of Askr: Year One [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703545
Kudos: 2





	Summer Snow

**Author's Note:**

> This series is a collection of short stories driven by the FEH Subreddit Weekly Writing Prompts, July 20, 2020. "For their valor, Kiran and the Order are awarded the Kingdom of Nifl's highest honors."

Kiran smiled while looking at the heroes sitting in the audience around her. They were there to attend the closing ceremonies for their summer expedition. Sadly, the heroes would be packing-up their beach encampment over the next week and traveling back to the Askran capital. The ceremony normally would consist of a few performances and a couple of speeches, but this year the nation of Nifl wanted to commemorate the Order of Heroes by awarding them their highest honor. Alfonse and Hríd agreed to meet each other half way, and since the Askran region they were camped in had a consent need of Nifl trade goods the two decided that their beach location would be perfect for their rendezvous.

King Hríd arrived that morning by the ice ships that frequently delivered cargo to the tropical coast and he had little time to relax, being swept away by Alfonse, representatives of the Askran court, local politicians and nobility. He stood at the podium now, on the makeshift stage the ocean waves crashing on the sore behind him. Flushed from the hot sun, he recounted the critical role the Order of Heroes played liberating the nation of Nifl from Múspell oppression. Kiran had heard Hríd was known for his long speeches, but she didn’t believe it until she saw the pile of notes he placed in front of him before he began.

“He’s so handsome, I could listen to him talk forever…” Tsubasa sighed, sitting in the row behind Kiran.

Sakura giggled beside the songstress, and Sothis huffed on her other side, “Well if he continues on like this, I believe you will get what you wish for!”

“I don’t see what’s so special about him.” Nils scoffed, crossing his arms behind his head, and stretching out in his chair, “I mean, he’s a king and all, but so what? I don’t see him winning any raids!”

“ _Sssssh_!” Soren spun around in his chair beside Kiran, furrowing his brows together and pressing his finger to his lips. Their group had been seated a few rows back from the stage, behind the bureaucrats, socialites and the who’s who of Askr and Nifl alike. Kiran was not worried of disrupting anyone stage, but clearly Soren had different ideas. “Don’t be so disrespectful.” He hissed at the chatty heroes.

Soren and Alfonse had arrived early that morning and the mage had woken her up by flicking her forehead rudely. Then he proceeded to drag her and Ranulf out of their cots to complete reports and evaluations before breakfast, stating “he wanted to get a head-start on the day.” She could hear Ranulf quietly snoring on her other side now, having nodded off mid-way through the ceremony and she didn’t blame him.

Kiran turned her attention to the stage watching Alfonse and Anna listening to the king speak. Anna had a grin that was ear to ear, she was in her element while she waited to receive the award. Alfonse was the exact opposite of the peppy commander. He stared off into the distance, occasionally looking down at the small cue cards he held in his lap. He didn’t look interested to be there. Kiran wondered what the young prince was thinking about. She knew this year had been particularly hard on him, after the loss of his father and not of age to take the throne. He had always put on a brave face for her and those in the Order, but she knew past events were starting to wear him down, and it was starting to show. _I should have tried harder to touch base with him over the past few months_ , she thought _,_ ashamed for not making herself available when he might have needed her.

“And there it is.” Soren leaned over and whispered to Kiran, waking her from her day-dream, “The Golden Snowball.”

Kiran’s attention moved back to Hríd as a few of his attendants brought him the award and the audience clapped, causing Ranulf to wake with a snort. The Golden Snowball was a majestic sphere of ice mounted on white Nifl wood, a continuous plume of cold vapors drifted off of it, and glitter from embedded gold flakes caused it to sparkled in the sunlight. Hríd went on to explain the origins of the rare ice use to create the award, and the expedition it took to mine the material in the northern alps of Nifl.

“Yeesh, I could have made the snow yellow without all the trouble.” Ranulf joked quietly to Kiran with a smirk. She covered her mouth to stop from snickering to loudly, while Soren glared at them. She was expecting him to chew them out for their childish behavior, but to her surprise he just turned away, rolling his eyes in disapproval. Kiran wasn’t sure what reaction was worse, and she tried to compose herself, focusing on the ecstatic Anna and smiling Alfonse, the life returning to his eyes as they became the focus of attention while excepting the Golden Snowball on the behalf of the Order of Heroes.

“And now, I have the honor to continue with the presentation of our next award.” Hríd began and Kiran noted the heroes behind them groaning softly while the Nifl king carried on, “It would be foolish of me to not recognize the tireless work this person has done for the Order and my nation alike,” he paused and his attendants brought him a small shiny blue box, “Kiran? “can you please join us on stage?”

Kiran’s eyes widened, and her stomach jumped into her throat as she sat there frozen to her seat. The crowd began clapping around her, while her world began to spin and she felt Soren tug hard on her arm. “Snap out of it!” He lectured, almost as surprised as she was. He stood up to let her by and she stumbled to move past him, stepping on the mage’s foot, “Get up there!” he hissed, he nudged her towards the stage.

She quickly walked to the stage trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. She had never won anything before, let alone been honored in any sort of way. Kiran was nervous and took a deep breath as she approached the steps to the stage. Slowly ascending up, she looked out into the audience and felt her knees become weak, clinging on to the banister. It wasn’t until she spotted her friends in the sea of people that her courage returned and she kept going, stepping onto the stage and walking across to where Hríd stood.

“I’ve known glaciers who moved faster than you.” Hríd quietly chuckled and Kiran nervously laughed along with him while looking over to Alfonse who gave her an encouraging smile. “Kiran, tactician and summoner of the Order, it is my pleasure to present this award to you, one of Nifl’s highest honors the Special Snowflake.” Hríd lifted the lid to the box he held, inside sat a glimmering medal made of prismatic ice in the same design as the kingdom of Nifl’s crest. “A reminder that you are truly one-of-a-kind.”

Kiran’s jaw dropped and Hríd pinned the medal to the collar of her coat while onlookers clapped, some for her, but mostly happy that it was the end of the ceremony and they were eager to disperse, returning to their beachside activities or rubbing elbows with Askran elites. Kiran turned, and found herself in Alfonse’s embrace.

“Congratulations.” He told her, squeezing her tight, “It’s really been too long.” His voice cracked.

“I know, I’m sorry, I should have written or something…” She tried to explain, when she saw her small group of friends filing onto the empty stage in excitement. Alfonse let go of Kiran so they could have their turn, many of them piling onto her laughing.

“Let me see it!” Tsubasa cried out, pulling at the medal secured to her coat, “Oh look how it catches the light!”

“It is beautiful.” Sothis murmured, in awe of the sparkling ice, “Perhaps I should win one…”

“I think this requires some celebratory shaved ice!” Ranulf announced, “Come on I’m buying!”

“Do you want to join us?” she turned back to Alfonse, who seemed deep in thought.

“My apologies Kiran.” The young prince shook his head, “I am afraid my schedule has been booked up solid with meetings already.” Alfonse forced a smile and quickly bowed, “We’ll catch up on the way back, I promise.” He told Kiran before excusing himself and joining Hríd who had been chatting with a few other heroes. Kiran watched him while he walked away, a gut feeling that there was something more, something he wasn’t telling her.

“It’s really one of a kind,” Ranulf put his arm around Kiran’s shoulders and walking her off the stage, “just like you!”

“Yes, you really live up to the awards name!” Soren chuckled following behind, “Truly a special snowflake!”

End.


End file.
